Peoria pair indicted on charges from 2006 shooting

PEORIA — Two men accused of shooting a woman eight years ago were indicted Tuesday by a Peoria County grand jury.

Allen S. Fitzpatrick Jr., 34, 1720 W. Martin St., and Michael A. Johnson, 31, of 3010 Woodbine Terrace, each face three counts of first-degree murder and single counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, aggravated discharge of a firearm, possession of a weapon by a felon and attempted mob action in connection with the March 15, 2006, death of Robbin Underwood and the shooting of her niece, Jennifer Lindler.

The men also face charges for allegedly shooting in the direction of Micah Forman that night.

Fitzpatrick and Johnson — as well as a third, unnamed man — are accused of trying to gun down Forman in the 1300 block of North Ellis Street but instead killed Underwood and injured Lindler.

Underwood was shot multiple times including in the head. Lindler was struck several times in the legs, according to police and Journal Star archives. Forman wasn’t injured and escaped. He is serving a four-year prison sentence for aggravated unlawful restraint and will be released in 2016.

The two men are scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in Judge David Brown’s courtroom. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.

Fitzpatrick just pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges that stated he distributed drugs with the Zone 4 street gang. The charges were brought under the Don’t Shoot anti-gun violence program. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison when sentenced later this year.